The Legend of Zelda: Plague of Jintha'kal

They were magical, Charlotte sensed as such. Even if she couldn't sense magic it was very obvious they were magic. This of course meat it had peaked her interest and she sat down nearby as Salene was more to the side.

"What are these? What do all of them do?" Charlotte tried to keep her eagerness down to a medium and not..over do it.

Charlotte listened intently of exactly what was what, asking questions here and there to clarify. Something's would go over Link's head and Salene would only know what she was talking about due to experience so she'd act as a mini translator. Soon as things winded down, Charlotte and Salene settled down for the night.

The young magic-user went to go relax, Salene however, unable to sleep decided to stay up a bit longer watching the camp fire. She didn't need to rest nearly as much as mortals did to begin with.

Itoshiki had gone to be even before Charlotte, as he tired rather easily to begin with, but Link had a tendency to stay up late. As such, he sat down next to Salene. He didn't say anything, just watched the fire, and enjoying the company.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Salene was quite for a bit before spoke again. "..It hasn't even been all that long and I already miss my little Hina. I think I worry too much about her when I'm away and can't see her. I think part of me will always older, even when she's in her hundreds."

Link... didn't really know what to say to that. He had no children of his own, he was only barely twenty now, and he couldn't even remember his parents. All he knew about the relationship between parents and children was what he'd seen in others. There was a strong, inseperable bond, far as he could tell, but he couldn't really understand it, himself.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Link watched her go, then turned back to the fire, sighing a bit. Now he felt rather... broody, again. He shook his head, and went back to thinking about things. He'd go to bed later.

~~~~

The next day, things were uneventful until a little before midday, when they reached the edge of a cliff, with a winding path leading down. They had reached the 'Valley of Oruk', and the entire valley was volcanic in nature. Barren, charred rock and trees, random bursts of lava erupting at times from cracks in the earth, even numerous 'rivers' of lava. And in the distance, near the ocean at the end of the valley, was a large temple, a bright light at the top of it. "...Well, at least this won't involve a bunch of puzzles while working my way through a dungeon-like temple... I think."

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Charlotte shook her head. "I'd rather do puzzles then fighting, at least its less dangerous to your health. Most of the time. And I'm okay at them." She was being modest, because Charlotte was far more then just 'okay' when it came to puzzles.

Salene nodded. "Let's just get this done, whether it is or not, just wishing either way doesn't do any of us any good."

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Link chuckled slightly. "I don't like fighting either, and I'm actually pretty good with the puzzles. I'm just saying it seems like once we reach that shrine, we can just grab what we're here for, and then leave, instead of having to find it somewhere in there. I'm hoping for that, since we already have to worry about this 'Oruk' thing. Anyway, let's go. Everyone keep alert, I don't want us to get caught off guard out here." He then started down into the valley.

Itoshiki hung back slightly, looking nervous, then took a deep breath. "I can do this..." After a moment, he nodded, and followed after Link.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Charlotte went and gently patted the cursed warrior on the back. Offering him a faint smile. "It'll be fine. Did you know how scared and nervous I was around the first time I got into a fight? I felt like I'd just drop over..but I pushed through it when I didn't know I could. You'll be fine."

Salene smiled very faintly at this but said nothing, continuing to follow.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Travelling through the valley was fairly uneventful, but this only made Link feel more uneasy. It was as they crested a hill that they heard a roar from some large creature, followed by a thunderous crash and a feminine cry of pain. Link surged forward, followed by a panicked Itoshiki, to come upon Toriko being pinned under the foot of a large, strange beast, larger than an elephant, it's foot nearly covering Toriko's body. The beast, likely Oruk, seemed about to gore the woman with it's horn, Toriko being unconcious and defenseless.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

The group reacted quickly, Salene reacting more on instinct as she went to stop the creature from crushing the young woman but obviously straining. Then Charlotte cast a thunder bolt spell towards its eyes to distract it. While this happened, Salene hurriedly grabbed the girl and teleported away, letting the foot crash down. It was definitely physically stronger then the other one, and with her current physical limitations best not to chance it.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Oruk roared in pain from Charlotte's spell, before shaking it's head furiously and turning to glare at Charlotte. It charged her, only for Link to do a slide between it's legs and slashing at them with his sword. Oruk stumbled, and was then blasted in the face with a strange beam of dark energy from Itoshiki. Oruk howled, his face steaming briefly after the attack. Link was beginning to think this would be easier than expected, when one of it's tails lashed out and sent him flying, Itoshiki barely dodging being impaled by another. The other two went straight for Charlotte... and the unconscious Toriko.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Salene hadn't been standing idle, having moved Toriko to a safer position away during what was going on before joining the group. That was when Charlotte saw what was going on and panicked a bit realizing she couldn't dodge in time and knowing she was one of the more frail members of the group.

Once again, Salene moved to intercept, barely getting Charlotte out the way but taking the hit and sent backwards into a wall.

Recovering quickly, Charlotte rapidly fired up another spell, a small glyph appearing over head. "Gale of Light!"

Two light-based balls of energy came towards the creatures side. If it was evil-aligned it would do more damage because of the nature of light magic in general.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Link fell into a roll when he landed, popping back up on his feet quickly, in time to see Charlotte's spell hit. It seemed to really piss Oruk off, but did not cause any real visible damage. He sighed, and circled around the beast. Itoshiki seemed to be gathering more energy for another attack, but it appeared difficult for him; he was already paler than usual.

Oruk shook himself after Charlotte's attack, and roared at Charlotte. It reared up, letting out a deafening roar, and charged Charlotte again, all four tails lashing out toward her, oblivious to Link having gotten onto it's back, looking for a weak point.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Charlotte didn't have much time to dodge, so she did the next best thing and summon a spell--anything that could cushion the impact or stop it entirely. He mind quickly went through the list, going by one tired and true one.

"Tempest!" A strong, whirlwind of wind came around her form, strong enough to stop the incoming four tails, but she was straining.

In the background, Saene knew Charlotte was vulnerable and since she was more of the less physically durable she needed to take attention off her. So with that in mind, her energy wings sprouted from her back once more, moving forward quickly to grab two of the offending appendages and then began try to tie it around the beast neck. It was risky, she doubted it would work but either way even if it knocked her away it would serve its purpose.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Oruk's tails were stopped by the whirlwind, but his charge was not. Salene's efforts to deal with two of his tails were countered by the other two tails shifting to attack her. However, Link, already on it's back, had leapt down onto it's head, having pulled out his ball and chain weapon. He seated himself on the horn while slipping the chain through Oruk's mouth, looping the ball end around the horn, and scrambling back onto it's back. And then he pulled, hard. Oruk roared as it's head was jerked backwards and to the side, driving him off his course of charging Charlotte, and crashing head first into the wall of the valley, cratering it.

When it managed to dislodge itself, the ball and chain was hanging from it's mouth, horn broken off, thick cracks in it's natural armor on it's head... and a barely conscious Link hanging by his arm from the end of the chain. Oruk roared, and swing his head, sending the ball and chain, and Link, flying, only to seconds later be slammed to the ground briefly from taking a powerful blast of dark energy directly in it's eye, from Itoshiki, who then dropped to his knees, coughing up blood.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Salene was swatted away by the other tails, it stung but she didn't let it get her down for too long. She got some distance and began charging a spell, it wouldn't be as strong normally not fully charged but it should do the trick. Maybe if its natural armor was 'frozen' it would be easier to crack. She felt the familar rush of magic as she gathered the spell and called it forth.

Or would have, if not for Link. She panicked a bit and quickly teleported, grabbing Link from the air so he didn't take the full blow.

Charlotte was about to prepare another spell when Itoshiki began coughing up blood, she quickly got a moderately powerful spell going. With the way her magic worked there were two modes: Uncharged and fully charged along with everything in between. "Heal." She said, the young man's form was covered in a calming light as the magic did its work.

This isn't working, but we damaged it.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Link managed to give Salene a weak, grateful smile before falling unconcious. Itoshiki, on the other hand, seemed to get a bit better, blinking in surprise, before looking at Charlotte, and nodding in thanks. He immediately began gathering energy for another move, doing what he could.

Oruk seemed wary now, watching his opponents with caution. They'd managed to hurt him. He was contemplating just running.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

While Salene moved Link to a safer position, Charlotte decided it was time to try to end this; or at least drive the creature off. She was already charging yet another spell, going through the list mentally before coming up with the next attack. It just needed to be strong enough to drive them off.

"Piercing Beam!"

A large, powerful silver beam of magical energy came from Charlotte, aiming for any vulnerable parts of the dragon-like monster. However, if it attacked again she was going have to be careful as one wrong move and it would end up turning her into something close to a pancake.

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

As Charlotte did this, Itoshiki finished gathering energy, and fired a beam of black energy. The two attacks struck at roughly the same time, and Oruk was slammed to the ground. Roaring in anger, he staggered to his feet, and then fled the valley, not willing to risk taking this fight further. Itoshiki immediately collapsed, breathing hard, but not coughing up blood like before. He was simply worn out.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara

Seeing the beast flee, Charlotte took a slight moment to relax before hurrying to where Itoshiki had fallen. She went over, gently rolling him over and checking the young man to find for the most part he was fine; just worn out. Salene had came over as well, holding a unconscious Link who had passed out from the attack not too long ago. Salene did her best to heal any wounds on Link, except for the fact she couldn't heal energy so he'd be tired whenever he is he woke up.

Charlotte was checking Itoshiki over. "..He seems okay, just tired."

_________________"It's often the ones close to us that we remember in the end of our days. Choose your friends and allies wisely."

Itoshiki gave Charlotte a weak smile. "Never thought I could use my powers to help people. THought they could only cause problems..."

"You'd be surprised what 'curses' can come in handy..." Link had actually woken up, and sat up, holding his head. "Ow..." At the same time, Toriko was actually slowly waking up, groaning softly as she rolled onto her stomach, trying to push herself to her feet.

_________________"There is no such thing as 'Coincidence'. Only 'Inevitability'." ~ Yuuko Ichihara